Mickey Mouse's 90th anniversary makes Disney fashion moment

Mickey Mouse sure knows how to party.

The Disney icon's 90th anniversary commemorates his first screen appearance in the animated short film “Steamboat Willie,” which debuted with sound — a novelty back then — in November of 1928.

But the party’s still in full swing, as new designer collaborations continue to hit store shelves, like Kipling’s just-launched Disney line of backpacks, duffels and bags—with more expected to roll out throughout the year.

Some of the merchandise is for kids. But much of it is for adults — which doesn’t surprise WALK 97.5 radio on-air personality Christina Kay one bit.

“Mickey’s 90, so almost every adult who’s around had Mickey as part of their childhood,” says Kay, who grew up in Lake Grove and once worked at the Disney store in nearby Smith Haven Mall. She’s a devoted Disney fan, her desk littered with various Disney figures, from “The Little Mermaid’s” Ursula to “The Incredibles’” Edna Mode to, of course, Mary Poppins.

“It’s in my blood,” she says, surmising that at this point even her cells must be shaped like little Mickey Mouse heads.

“Every time I hear the word ‘Disney,’ I can’t help but smile,” she says. “It makes me forget about everything and think about my childhood. It’s a getaway and an escape from your day-to-day struggles. And, of course, Mickey’s at the center of all that.”

The retail landscape is vast, with mouse ears aplenty on sweaters, bags, leggings and beyond geared to those who wish to succumb to Mickey mania.

“I can’t help it,” says Kay, laughing. “It makes me feel like a kid.”